Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy ... Scroll down for more

My overall therapy approach is known as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) or mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT). (Scroll down to see entire page.)

"Mindfulness" points to my recommending, as needed, mindfulness meditation and other attention-management tactics. Being able to take note of a problematic thought, symptom, feeling, or the like and then being able to shift attentional focus is an important skill to be learned and practiced. Use of this skill is often central to effectively dealing with the presenting problem. Further, there is more and more scientific evidence, from brain-scan studies, that regular practice of mindfulness meditation, such as in breath-awareness practice, causes positive brain growth associated with reduction in anxiety and depression symptoms and in overall negative emotional reactivity.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy involves my actively coaching you in the use of practical psychological tactics, based on scientific findings. While this approach also involves supportively and empathetically understanding your life history and your feelings, CBT importantly focuses on your adding to yourself toward your better handling your present and future problems, challenges, and opportunities.

CBT frequently involves asking you to use, when appropriate, softer, less emphatic language when speaking and thinking of negative things, within you and in your life. For example, as a training exercise, consider variations on this (admittedly long-winded) statement, "There's a part of me that is finding this situation difficult at the moment." Sometimes, "difficult" or "unpleasant" are better than "can't."

CBT also frequently involves asking you to make small steps now toward the goals you set for yourself, which generally leads to more composure, competence and confidence in over-coming symptoms and difficult situations.For example, with anxiety, panic and phobias, a frequent CBT strategy involves exposure, in a"baby-step," under-your-control manner, to situations and symptoms you may have been avoiding or escaping.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy are generally compatible with and may sometimes be used instead of psychiatric medications.

The number of visits needed varies greatly, depending upon the problems. 8 to 10 visits is a good, rough initial estimate for substantial work. On the other hand, I make efforts to have to therapy proceed rapidly. You usually can tell within a very few visits whether you like working with me and whether my approach to your problems is likely to prove worthwhile.

Typical problems I address with patients in individual psychotherapy/counseling include:
Anxiety
Panic attacks
Agoraphobia
Other phobias
Stress and related problems
Relationship problems
Divorce transition
Depression, without being a danger to self or others
Anger, without being a danger to self or others
I am not a substance-abuse counselor. I may choose not to take patients whose issues include: Psychotic Disorders, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Bi-Polar Disorder or other Personality Disorders, Major Depression with suicidal ideation, Eating Disorders, Attention Deficit Disorder, Relationship problems with physical or abuse, Sexual Disorders, and, in general, there being a threat to self or others. Again, for the kinds of issue I do deal with, please see the list above.

Please call if you have questions.